In use, electrical receptacles are supported in a junction or outlet box where the ends of electric cable may be terminated to the receptacle. A receptacle face plate or cover is placed over the receptacle to prevent access to the terminations. The cover, which may be secured to the box or to the receptacle, has outlet openings therethrough which permit interconnection access to the outlets of the electrical receptacle.
One common receptacle type is a duplex receptacle which includes a pair of spaced outlets. The cover would similarly have a pair of outlet openings. A fastening screw may be passed through the center of the receptacle cover and into a threaded aperture in the front face of the receptacle between the spaced apart outlets. In situations where a flat cover is employed and where the receptacle is mounted in the box, the single screw is usually sufficient to suitably secure the receptacle cover to the receptacle.
In certain applications, covers have been designed which allow the surface of the cover to be spaced or raised from the outlet box. This increases the useable volume of the box, permitting additional interconnections. In these applications, the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that the receptacles be secured to the raised cover by more than a single screw. The cover may then be mounted to the box.
This prohibition against using a single central screw to secure the cover to the receptacle requires the installer to employ additional fastening screws, and more troublesome, the use of fastening nuts to secure the screws. The need for additional securement hardware, in addition to increasing installation time, requires the installer to obtain the hardware and manipulate the hardware to fasten the cover to the receptacle. In most applications, this requires the installer to hold the nut behind the receptacle, pass the threaded screw through the cover and the receptacle, and then thread the screw through the nut so as to secure the cover to the receptacle. The installer must manipulate the nut, screw and screwdriver at the same time in order to make an installation. This must be done in at least two locations. During the installation procedure, there is the potential for the installer to drop the nut, thereby making installation of the cover more time-consuming.
Further, the nuts used to secure the cover are separate elements. They must either be supplied with the cover or must be provided by the installer at the site. In either situation, the installed cost of the cover is increased.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a receptacle raised cover which may be secured to an electrical receptacle without need for additionally provided parts, and which may be easily installed by the installer.